Matt Monro Forum

As I hadn't posted but this for a few weeks I thought I'd give you an update and ask for a little more help!

I popped over to collect some LP's from John today to confirm the existence of Stereo Mixes and attempt to solve a mystery.

First of all i'm pleased to say that Pretty Polly does exist in stereo! It has only been issued in the USA but the tapes still exist for the LP it's on (The Best Of - Capitol - SKAO 152).

One Day Soon is nowhere to be found. John thinks (and considering his collection he's probably right) that it has never been issued outside of it's single release or the Don Black LP. So looks like Mono only!

The Music Played. Unfortunately the album that listed this as stereo (once again The Best Of - Capitol) Has it in Mock stereo! ARGGH! So if anybody does come across this in Real stereo let me know!

Now the mystery which i'm still working on! Back in 1966 Matt recorded a few numbers including How Do You Do and As Long As I'm Singing for around about his last EMI session before moving to Capitol. Now this is where I start to get confused.

The session tape does not appear to survive. There is also NO stereo mixdown master from this session in the archive although both tracks appeared on the LP Yesterday (Liberty 1966). However in 1969 the identical stereo mix of How Do You Do appeared on a compilation (this I have now confirmed) Where did this come from? I thought perhaps this was a brand new mix from the original session tapes that may well have still existed back then, but if it's identical how did EMI get hold of this US Mix (Liberty licenced the tracks so EMI would not have asked for tapes back from them for a budget compilation).

Not only this but As Long As I'm Singing was also issued in The USA in 1966 (on the same Liberty album) but I can find no trace of it being issued in the UK until 1994 (Through The Years). Where did the tape come from for this release then?
It could be from the USA but I have my doubts.

Does anybody know of A UK issue of As Long As I'm Singing from any earlier than 1994?

Thanks

Richard

I have had a quick look through my u.k. albums Richard and it doesn't appear to be on any of them.

Hi Richard

For years I thought The Music Played was available in stereo because of this record that John have and I had. Now you have confirmed that it is only mock stereo. I have always wondered as a kid why it sounded so bad (kind of hollow) and then I thought it was because it was the last track on Side A and perhaps my turntable/stylus was not set up properly.

Looks like Mono is all we shall ever have for The Music Played and One Day Soon - Unless I manage to find something mis filed in the archives.

I have however found both tracks mixed to Stereo in the archives in Spanish!

Richard